Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1887-03-04
A COSTLY BONNET.

A COSTLY BONNET.
'Tsany ono hurt2" asked Mr. Creswick.
"What has happcned9 Can be ofu,c"
He was stroling past Candytuft Cot
age, as he often did 1t was a habit
into which he had fallen Of late, almost
without any definite knowledge or in
tention Of his own, and if any one had
!old him that y ,dee Gray's fair, girlsh
iace had anything to do with it, he
would doubtless have been much sur
prised.
"Oh, it's only our Gay, in one of her
empcsts," said Louise, calmly smooth
ing back the wind d-rufiled gold of her
eurls. "She's as wild as the March
wind itself"
Louise Gray was like a tall, white lily,
so serene, so graceful and so beautiful.
Her soft locks lay against her brow
likes waves Of sunshine, her eyes were
blue and clear beneath their curved
ashes, her crimson lips looked as if they
never spoke aught but the sweetest of
words.
Mr.. Creswick looked at her as an
artist might survey some peerless work
of art; but his heart never warmed
oward her any more than if she were
ler own type in frozen marble.
1t was Zlidec that he liked best
wild, impctuous idee, with the velvet
hazel eyes, and the shifting roses in
her checks and the bright, disordered
aair-Zaidee, who was always being
checked for something, and who was
.reated more like child than woman,
although she had passed the Rubicon of
her eighteenth birthday.
"Ohl" said Mr.. Creswick.
Nor did he think the less of Zay to
discover that she was human, like the
'est of womankind, and no passionless
clay goddess.
"Won't you come in, said Louise, with
earressing cordiality of manner.
"Not to-day" said Mr. Creswick.
And he walked meditativcly past the
lilac hedged fence, with his eyes cast
downward as if he were nsSues.ae
yellow dandelions that sse
grassy bank.
Louise bit her lip.
"Tiresome fellow ~ she said to her
self. 81 do wonder if he ever means to
come to the point But he must mean
something, or he wouldn't keep coming
here. And he is rich and handsome,
and mamma says that if mean to settle
well, mustn't wait till am old and
faded, like Miss Patience Perrlfeld."
So Louise entered the garden-gate,
settling the ribbon bows on her dress in
a leisurely sort of way, and following
the tones of high, excited voice, she
,trolled along the wide, cool hall to the
strawberries at the back of the house.
"Oh, dear" said she, with a depre-
eating motion of her hand, "what is it
now l do wish, zaidee, you wouldn't
treat US to so many Of these scenes / It's
TOO trying to the nerves
Zaidee stood in the midst of the
aower-beds, relentessly tramping down
7erbenas, poppyheads and Glove scented
clusters of pinks, with something held
.enderly in her hands, while her spark
ing, tear-drenched eyes and the vivid
scarlet of her cheeks betokened that
some extraordinary emotion had stirred
her soul.
"What have you got ~ asked Louise,
sharply. bright bits of color fea-
Ihers ?"
'1ts-it's two beautiful bluebirdsE'
sobbed Zlidee; "and my humming-
bird-the humming-bird l have fed and
coaxed ever since it was wee bit of
velvet down in its nestp'
'Such a fuss about nothing!" said
Joe, tall lad of sixteen; ''and Bill
Beers is waiting to stuff and mount them
for me. told her. Lou, that you had
SAID you'd give me dollar if I'd shoot
he blues and trap the humming fellow;
but she won't believe me-"
ooh, Louisew pleaded Zaidee; "you
didn't--you never couldl'
''Such fuss to make about nothing p
repeated Louise, impatlertly, stamping
her foot. 81 must have biris for my
bonnet. Every one wears birds"
'People are cruell' sobbel Zaidee-
Savage! Oh, do so hate fashion and
fashionable doingsp
"And as can't afford to pay the
prices that the milliners ask" languidly
added Louise, "as long as papa keeps my
allowance at such a niggardly point,
must just do the best l can. After all,
you silly Donna Quixota, what's blue
bird or two2-or miserable humming-
bird, that you could cover with the
palm of your hand2 Here's your dollar,
Joe. Have Bill Beers stuff and mount
them as soon as he can. want to wear
them next week.
"You shan't have them" cried Zaidee.
'My poor little murdered darlingl Oh,
anything--anything but fashionable
womanl"